Newsroom

(BERRIEN SPRINGS) – Through the Allied Health Careers Scholarship program, the Lakeland Health Foundations provided a total of $126,000 in the form of 49 scholarships and 49 department grants this year to Lakeland Health professionals and students interested in pursuing a career in health care. The awards were distributed at a recent reception at the Howard Performing Arts Center on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, and attendees included team members from the Niles, St. Joseph, and Watervliet hospitals, as well as Caring Circle, Lakeland Medical Practices, and Southwestern Medical Clinic.

Over the past 24 years, the Lakeland Health Foundations have awarded over $1 million in scholarships and grants to Lakeland team members, departments, and volunteers. This has been made possible largely through endowments from community members designed with the sole purpose of investing in healthcare education and training.

“We are very grateful to the generous friends of Lakeland who have selflessly contributed funds, making it possible for the Foundation to award scholarships and grants each year,” said David Burghart, Vice President of Philanthropy and President of Lakeland Health Foundations. “Through the creation of memorials and other endowed funds, Lakeland team members are advancing their clinical skills for providing exemplary care to our community.”

During the scholarship ceremony, Burghart presented Bart Berndt, Executive Director of Diagnostic Services, with the organization’s Leo Soorus Leadership Award to honor his exemplary leadership in key projects related to upgrades of the Catheter Lab and the purchase of new, state-of-the art equipment for patient care. The Leo Soorus Leadership Award and grant, developed through the Lakeland Health Foundations, honor Soorus’ many contributions to southwest Michigan as a Lakeland executive and as a leader of many community and professional organizations.

Lakeland team members and area students (listed by their hometowns) who received scholarships through the Lakeland Health Foundations include: